Grab-bucket.



J. L. BUTLER.

GRAB BUCKET. APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1909.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

a sums-sum 1.

J. L.v BUTLER.

GRAB BUCKET. -APPLIGATION 11.31 JULY 30, 1909.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. L. BUTLER.

GRAB BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1909.

Patehted Apr. 30, 912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I a X ZQ/m .site ends.

STATES UNITED JAMES L. BUTLER, or ALLIANCE; 01110.-

" GRAB-BUCKET.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES L. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alliance, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Grab-Buckets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to features of novelty and improvement in the operating mechanism of buckets, and more particularly those of the grab companion bucket type. In such appliances effective actuating means are necessary to secure the closure or load-receiving action of the buckets, and at the same time such buckets must be free to readily drop or discharge their loadwhen necessary.

The provision of a simple and. effective appliance for securing these results is the aim and purposeof this invention.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, a preferred and desirable embodiment of this invention.

has been illustrated, and throughout the various views like reference characters refer to the same parts.

In these drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation of such an embodiment of this invention, the bucket being shown in closed position; Fig. 2 is an end elevation; Fig. .3 is a central vertical section; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 44 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bucket in open position. v a

By reference to these drawings it will be made apparent two sharp-edged buckets or shovels 10 and 11 arranged with their cutting edges 12,12 and their open mouths facing toward one another, as is clearly indicated in the figures. Each bucket or shovel has fastened to the inner faces of its side walls a pair of brackets or arms 13 and 14, the upper ends 15 and 16 of whichwoverlap oneanother in approximately the planes of the mouths of the buckets, as shown in Fig. 2, and are apertured in alinement for the reception of a hinge rod 01. pin 17 which constitutes a connection between the two buckets, as will be readily understood, such pin or rod having retaining collars 18, 18 secured to its oppo- In order to limit the opening movement or action of such pair of hinged companionbucketseach bracket or arm 13 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 30, 1909. Serial No. 510,348.

that the device comprises PatentedApr.30,1912.

is supplied with a stop or abutment lug 19 disposed on one side of the same and in the pathof travel of a cooperating stop finger or extension 20 integral with .the bracket 14 of the other bucket. It will be obvious, therefore, that the opening movement of such buckets is limited and restricted by the engagement of the parts 19 and 20 at the-opposite sides of the buckets, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The chain or cable of the hoisting or raising and lowering appliance is-intended for attachmentancl engagement with an eye or loop 21 secured to the outer or upper end of a curved actuating arm 22, the lower bifurcated end of which supports a shaft 24 connected to the side walls of the pair of brackets by the four links 25, 26, 27 and 28, the upper ends of which are freely rotatable on the supporting shaft 24, while their lower ends are fulcrumed or pivoted to the buckets at 29 by means of the ears 30 forming integral inwardly off-set parts of the brackets 13 and 14 described above, the latter having strengthening ribs 31 if desired. The upper end 32 of arm 22 is also-bifurcated and has hung on the pin or bolt 33, by means of which the loop or eye 21 is. attached to said arm, and between the fingers of the bifurcated portion of the latter,-a latch 34 pressed outwardly by a leaf-spring 35 secured to the" arm andhaving an aperturedportion 36 for the attachment of an operating cord. 37, the latch enacting with the hook-shaped part 38 of a curved eccentric or cam 39 hung on the shaft 24 in the bifurcated portion 23 of the arm in such manner that the cam is free to turn or rotate on said shaft. As is clearly shown in Fig. 4, the rotary cam 39 isof I-shape in cross-section and has cooperating with its top and bottom surfaces a pair, of rollers 40 and 41 mounted on pins 42 and. 43, respectively, supported in the pair of out:

standing arms 44 and'45 of a bushing 01- sleeve 46 supported on and receiving'in a longitudinal'hole through the same" the ceritral portion of the hinge -rodl7, the rollers being disposed between such spaced arms, as is indicated.

The operation of this grab bucket takes place in substantially the following manner: Assuming that, the bucket is openedfthfat is the two companion bucketsare in separated relation *as -in-Fig. their rotation on the hinge rod or I to its off-set center of p of the load in the buckets thereupon, swings I ated permitting the pin being restricted by the cooperating stops" 19 and 20, and that it is desired to actuate the bucket so as to grab or-pick up a load of sand or the like, the hoisting mechanism (not shown) is operso as to permit the actuating arm 22 and the latch 34 which it carries to swing downwardly from the dotted to the full line-position of Fig. 5, the curved contour of such arm bringing its center of gravity to one side of the shaft 24 so that when freed such arm will swing down to the right as the parts are viewed in Fig. 5. When this arm reaches the position shown in full lines in such figure its latch 34 automatical yengages the hook part 38 of the eccentric or cam 39, and upon elevation of the cable or chain (not shown) attached to the loop or eye 21 both the actuating arm 22 and 'the operating cam 39 are caused to swing upwardlyaround the shaft 24 until the parts assume the positions indicated in Fig. 1. This rotation of the eccentric or 'cam.39 about the shaft 24, by cooperation with the roller 40 mounted on the hinge pin or rod 17, lifts such hinge connection between the buckets, turning the latter on the pivot'ed'connection of the support-ing links therewith into closed relation as shown in Fig. 1. During such movement of the buckets they grab. or grasp a load of the sand or other material upon which such buckets rest during the closing operation. The closed bucket with its load may now be transported by the cable or chain of the hoisting mechanism to the proper dumping point, and when operator by pulling upon the cord 37 swings thelatch ,34 sufl'iciently in opposition to the pressing action of the spring 35 to free the camfrom the actuating arm, and as soon as the parts'are thus disengaged the cam, due gravity and the action downwardly around the supporting shaft 24, and in so doing the roller 40 travels on its top surface, such movement of the .parts descent of the hinge connec tion between the buckets, consequently permitting theopening turning of such buckets on the lower ends of the links and on the bucket hinge connection and the drop or discharge of their load. The operation of loading and discharging the bucket may be repeated indefinitely, as will be readily understood from the above description.

It should be apparent that thehoisting mechanism supports the eye or loop 21 and that the latter through-the pm 33 supports the actuating arm 22' such arm' in turn through the shaft 24'an'cl the lines 25, 26,'

27 and 28 supporting thebuckets, while the oscillatory eccentricor cam 39 governs and controls-the opening and closing ofthe buckets by varying the posifionof their. hinge line position.

. parts 44, 45, 46 androllers 40 and it reaches such position the connection one with tion, as is clearly illustrated, being at the front or mouth ends of such buckets.

It will be noted that the present device includes a hanger made up of the shaft or cross bar 24 and the swinging links or arms 25, 26, 27 and 28. Each bucket is pivotally hung from one of the pair of arms as at 29, and the two buckets are pivotally connected together by the hinge pin or rod 17. There is a yoke, best shown in Fig. 4, made up of 41, with WhlCh the cam 39 is associated in such a manner as to successively elevate and depress the pivotal connection 17 between the buckets, whereby the latter are swung closed and open.

Although the precise and exactstructural features of the various elements of this ap-,

, pliance have been described herein somewhat minutely, it should be noted that the invention is susceptible of a considerable number of embodiments and is not limited to the precise construction shown, since the latter may be modified within comparatively wide limits without departure from the substance and essence of the invent-ion.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pair of pivotally connected buckets, of mechanism for raising the other, such connecand lowering the same, and means for opening and closing the buckets comprising a swinging member pivotally carried by said ralsing and lowering mechanism and having a camengagement with said buckets.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination with/a pair of pivotally connected buckets, of mechanism for raising and lowering the same, and means for opening, and closing the buckets comprising a swinging member carried by said raising and lowering mechanism and having a cam engagement with the pivotal connection of said buckets. v

3. In a-device of the character described, the combination with raising and lowering mechanism, of a pair of buckets pivoted to one another independently of said raisingand lowering mechanism, a' swingingcani carried by the raising and lowering mechanlsm, and a connection between sa1d cam and said buckets for opening and closing' the iis same by'the swinging movement of the cam.

4. In a device of the character described,-

the' combination of a pair of oppositely-erranged buckets, hinged together, a shaft, links connecting said shaft to said buckets, a

cam rotatable on said shaft," aroller on said bucket hinge connection cooperating with said cam, an actuat ng arm rotatable on said shaft and adaptedfto'be connected to suitable hoisting and lowering mechanism, and

azlatch adapted to detachably connect said pie-rm and cam'wherebythe companion b ek ,etsmay be closed together when the cam is swung on the shaft by means of said arm and latch and may swing open when the cam,

unia'tched f o aid arm, substantially as .descrlbed.

' 5. 'Inaidevice-of-the character described, the combination 'of' a pairof oppositely-arranged buckets hingedtogether, a cam rotatably. mounted on said buckets, means associated' with the bucket-hinge connection and coeperating with said cam or eccentric,

a swinging operating. arm adapted to be connected to a'hoisting and lowering appliance, the center of gravity of-said arm being at one side of the line through its swinging attachment and the part adapted for securing 3 9 "ating device mounted upon the hanger,

scribed.-

"yoke I I pivotal connection to the hoisting appliance, and means to se-' cure and" break operative connection between said arm and cam oreccentric, whereby said arm and cam control the opening and closing of said buckets, substantially as de- 6. In a device oithe character described, the combinationofia'hanger, a pair of ets independently pivoted; to the hanger, a

au 'pivotalconnectionbetween the buckets, a cam pivoted upon thehanger and having a slidable engagement with. the pivotal connection between the buckets,

stantiallyns described.

7. Ina device of the'character described, the combination of a ts independently pivoted to the hanger, carriedby said pivotal connectioma cam ivotedupon nection between the buckets, and a'cam -actuat device mounted uponthe hanger and provided with a latch 'fo j detachable: en-j buckand a cam-actusubhanger, a pair of buck-' between the buckets, a the hanger and having'a slida le engagement with the pivotal con- 7 Witnessesr cross-bar and two pairs of swinging arms air of bucket memdepending therefrom, a bers, each bucket mem erbeing pivotally hung from a pair of the arms, apivotal co'n nection between the buckets, a campivoted upon thecross bar and having a slidable en-' gagement with the pivotal engagement of the buckets, and means mounted on the cross described;

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hanger including a cross bar and two pairs of pivotal arms de.-.

pending therefrom, a pair of buckets, each bucket being pivotally hung from a pair of said arms, a pivotal v buckets, ayokecarried by said pivotal connection, a cam 'ivoted upon the. cross bar and havinga slidable engagement with the yoke, and aswin 'ng cam-actuating member mounted upon .t e cross bar and having a latch for detachable engagement with the cam, substantially as desc'rlbed.

2 JAMES L."BUT LER-.

device mounted upon the.

connection between the I character described,

-bar'for actuating the cam, substantially as v 

